


The Riddle Twins' Nanny Dearest

by Caesarion



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Babies, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Oblivious Harry, Pervert Tom, Pining, Possessive Tom Riddle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-05-08 06:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 21,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14688708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caesarion/pseuds/Caesarion
Summary: Tom Riddle had a hard time finding a nanny for his recently acquired 9 month old twins, Delphini and Caelum. They hated all of their previous nannies and drove them away. However, maybe they didn't need his help to find their nanny ? Maybe they could find them all on their own.Harry Potter couldn't believe picking up two wandering babies would bring him face-to-face with Tom Riddle, the business magnate of London. He was the hardest to reach man in the city and he was personally giving Harry a job. As a nanny.  Harry was less thrilled with the prospect. Not because he thought it was a lowly position but because he had no skills or idea on how to take care of toddlers. However, Tom  was unmoving and Harry took the position.[not mine]





	1. Chapter 1

Tom Riddle leaned back into his chair, stretching slightly. He was happy that he managed to accomplish and clear his workload for the day. Clearly, his decision to leave the twins in his assistant's hands was a sound one. They hadn't bothered or called for him at any point of the day, aside from the first hour but that had been expected as they were in a new environment. Now, he just had to bring them home, hopefully have an uneventful bath and dinner and they'd fall asleep without any fuss.

“Pansy, please ready the twins. I'll be going off in 10 minutes,” He said into the intercom as he packed. Silence greeted him. He frowned. Pansy, his assistant, was always prompt in acknowledging him.

“Pansy ?”

“Ah, Mr. Riddle,” Pansy finally said but her voice was extremely strained, “A few more minutes please. I have to..uhm…change them.”

“Do you need any help with them? They can be quite a handful.” Tom offered, wanting to feel them in his arms. It was a surprise to find that he was missing them even though he had only had them for a few weeks. He was, then, shocked when Pansy sputtered in response. A frown furrowing his brows, he knew he had a reputation for being cold and stern but they were his children and he'd found out that he liked being a hands on father, entirely different from his own parents.

“N-no need for that, sir. I..uhm..have to go now. I'll bring them to you in a minute,” Pansy said hurriedly and disconnected. A sense of foreboding started in Tom’s chest but he waited. Pansy had assured him that he would be able to take care of them. Tom could trust her. She hadn't proved him wrong in the past. Surely his children were in good hands.

.

It had been 30 minutes and his patience was starting to fray. Actually, it had frayed within ten minutes and now, he was ready to snap. He was second-guessing his assistant. Even if the twins were being difficult, it shouldn't take that long to change them. Deciding to get to the bottom of this, he left his office and was greeted with an empty desk. Not surprised, he continued to the main office and was greeted with chaos. All of his employees were on their hands and knees, looking under chairs and tables. It would have been amusing but nothing worth commenting if they weren't calling his children's names. Were they looking for them? Processing that implication, he naturally came to the following conclusion. They were missing.

“M-Mr. Riddle,” one of the female workers cried loudly. Everyone stopped and looked at him with arrested expressions. One that morphed into guilt. All of them hurriedly stood up and rushed to their desks, contriving to look busy.

“Mr. Riddle, I, um, we- I can explain,” Pansy said, running towards him. Her face was red and her eyes were darting about, never settling on Tom. Tom’s sense of foreboding grew.

“Where are my children ? And how long have they been missing ?” Tom asked coldly. He knew bringing them to work had been a bad idea but there had been no one else available and he had trusted his assistant.  He hadn't wanted to leave them with someone he hadn't vetted either. His blood ran cold. Did their mother take them ? Surely not. She had dropped them into his arms like hot potatoes and left with no explanation 3 months ago. She'd even signed the contract stating she gave up her parental rights. The last he had heard of her, she was in Paris and that was 3 hours ago. She wouldn't have had time to arrange a kidnapping in such a short time. So it definitely wasn't her. Which just left his incompetent assistant.

“Actually, sir, it's my fault,” one of the female workers said nervously, joining Pansy. He recognised her. She was one of Pansy’s friends in the office. Another woman joined them. Another of Pansy’s friend.

“Pansy had to photocopy and mail an important document and left them with me and Millicent. That was about 2 hours ago. We have neighboring cubicles so we thought it'd be easier for us to look after them than Pansy. Since, you know, two is better than one and all that.'”

“That still doesn't answer the question !” He snapped, his anger reaching a boiling point. They didn't appear to be responsible enough to take on the care of his children.

“As Flora was saying, we thought it'd be easier but I thought she was keeping an eye on them and she thought I was keeping an eye on them. We got absorbed with work and when we next turned to look at them, they were, um, gone,” the other woman, Millicent said anxiously.

“What ?!” Tom roared. The entire office jumped. He didn't care who witnessed his anger. This should serve them a lesson, “When did you realize they were missing ? Have you searched the entire office ? The entire floor. How about the entire building ? Did you consult with the security guards and the cameras ?”

“We-we were about to but—”

Baby voices were suddenly heard, interrupting Pansy. Relief coursed through him when he recognized them as his children's. Everyone turned to where they heard their voices. It seemed like they were travelling towards him but he couldn't see them. Probably because of all the cubicles and the fact that they would be crawling. Impatient and disgusted with the lack of action from his employees, Tom was about to head for them himself when they rounded the corner. More accurately, they rounded the corner within the arms of a petite, dark-haired young man. Someone who definitely didn't work for him. And, yet, they looked quite happy and content to be in the young man’s arms. They looked even happier when they saw Tom. Bouncing about in the young man’s arms, the twins stretched their arms towards their father.

Still puzzled, Tom grabbed them from the said young man. Well, he didn't exactly snatch them away but he wasn't gentle either. While he nodded absently at the baby talk from his twins and jostling them slightly when they became restless, his eyes were fixed on the unknown man. He petite young man was fidgeting uncomfortably under the eyes of the entire office on his but withered under Tom’s penetrating glare.

“Who are you ?” Tom demanded.

“I-I'm Harry Potter.  I was here for an interview when I saw them crawling along the hallway. I, uhm, picked them up after I realized they were unattended,” The young man—Harry said softly, his eyes finding interest with the burgundy carpet. He shot a glare at the three women before focusing on his twins' new caretaker.

“When was this ?” Tom asked. He was curious to how long they'd been with this young man and how long his twins had been alone.

“About two hours ago ? Approximately ? I had been trying to find their parent or nanny when they suddenly decided to take a nap about an hour and a half ago. I mean, it was hard enough to carry them when they were awake but they became deadweight when sleeping,” Harry said with a small smile that withered away when Tom didn't return the sentiment. “They just woke up 15 minutes ago and had been sending me on a wild goose chase,” Harry said with another smile. This smile was more genuine and directed at the bundles in Tom’s arms. Tom was slightly distracted by that smile. The warmth in the younger man’s  emerald eyes made him even more attractive than he already was. Tom was also relieved his children hadn't been roaming alone for long before finding this man.

Suddenly, Caelum, his son, reached for Harry. Harry looked to him for permission. He hesitated but at Caelum’s insistence, relented.

Caelum looked awfully comfortable with Harry. And he was the most fussy of the twins. His daughter, Delphini, had also looked comfortable in the younger man’s arms before. His twins had had a difficult time acclimating to the changes in their lives. They'd disapproved of all the nannies and caretakers he'd hired, crying relentlessly, throwing their toys around, refusing to sleep. He was continually worried about them.

He'd consulted child psychologists who, instead of helping, just gave him empty platitudes that were worth less than excrement. He had tried to seek help from his grandmother, which had worked for a while, but she was too old. Furthermore he hadn't been entirely comfortable dumping the twins on her. He'd been at his wits' end when he brought them to the office.

But it seemed that the twins didn't need him to find a nanny for them. They'd found one all on their own. He just hoped he didn't have to send him away.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Harry shifted in the chair uncomfortably. He hadn't known that those babies he had taken care of was the Riddle Corporation CEO's children. None of the people he had encountered had said anything. Hell, they hadn't even looked at him. They'd just bumped into him and walked away without a by-your-leave. Even so, he had been carrying the twins then. Surely they'd recognized their own boss' kids ?

Now he was in Tom Riddle’s office. Probably to be punished for taking his children without permission. He could be thinking that Harry had been trying to kidnap them. Or sell them away to the black market. He could even be calling the cops right at this moment.

His mind didn't care that he wouldn't know anyone in the black market or, even, that he wasn't going to do that. No, it was running wild and unchecked and it didn't help that he was alone in the office. He tried to distract himself by observing the decor. The floor was all hardwood. There was a group of sofa across one end of the room, most likely leather and expensive but he didn't know the make. It was a modern design, white and uncomfortable-looking. In the middle of the room, there was a long table with a grouping of eight chairs around it, probably to hold meetings for the upper echelon of the company. And at the other end, where he was sitting and waiting, was the main desk. It was quite a large desk containing all stationeries, work and even a few family photos.

Harry studied some and noticed a few of them featured Mr. Riddle with quite a woman. There was another woman with them. She had dark hair and very light blue eyes. Piercing eyes. From the resemblance in the pictures, he could tell they were related, siblings or, maybe, cousins. They seemed close, their arms around each other. He noticed one frame for the twins, though. Just one when they were probably 7 months old. Why didn't he have any photos of them from much earlier ? And where was their mother ?

“I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Potter,” Mr. Riddle said, suddenly coming into the room. Harry jumped slightly. It would have been good if Mr. Riddle had announced his presence but this was his office. “I had to retrieve your resume from the HR department. It seems like they were almost going to throw it away when you didn't show up for the interview. May I know what position you were applying for ?”

“Receptionist, sir,” Harry told him, shocked that the older man went to get his resume. Whatever for ? Harry knew he had blown the interview when he had decided to go after the twins. “May I know why, sir ?”

“Why I retrieved your resume ? So that I can determine your suitability as a nanny for my children,” Mr. Riddle told him absently, studying his resume. “You wrote here that you've only one relevant experience and all other experience is as a waiter. Why the switch ?”

“I-I wanted a change of pace. Frankly, I'm getting too old for it. The long hours. Unreasonable customers. Plus I've just graduated. So I wanted a job that's somewhat relevant to my qualifications,” Harry answered. Nanny to his twins ? Of course not. He must have heard it wrong.

“Yes, it's listed here that you have a degree for Business Administration. So why a receptionist ?”

Harry frowned, “Excuse me but may I know exactly why you are asking me all these questions ? I know it was bad of me to just pick up the twins but I do not think it warrants all these questions,” He said softly, trying to ask for a clarification in case he hadn't heard properly.

“Ah, I apologize. It seems that I forgot to tell you the nature of our meeting here. Seeing how my children behaved with you earlier on, I would like to offer you the position of their live-in nanny. Accommodations will be provided for, as will transport and food. Your only job is to take care of the twins. My housekeeper will take care of the house, including laundry and meals. Of course, she's on her holidays for the next 2 weeks or so. So you'll have to fend for yourself then.”

 “Nanny ? That's not even close to relevant to my education,” Harry cried, his mind unable to wrap itself around the idea. Nanny ? He had only taken care of them for at most 1 hour so he didn't see how he couldn't possibly be a good nanny to them. Furthermore, he could barely take care of himself. Mr. Riddle wanted to entrust them with him ?

“Well, it's the only position I am willing to offer you.” Mr. Riddle said, his eyes as hard as granite. Harry was happy he had the wide expanse of the table between them.

“What about the receptionist role ?” Harry asked, disappointed. He had hoped to move up the ranks if he got the position.

“I do not like to repeat myself.” Mr. Riddle hissed.

Harry flinched, “But why me as a nanny ? Surely there's more qualified people,” He said softly. Mr. Riddle’s lips twisted wryly.

“Well, my children have chased away all those qualified people, leaving you. They slept with you. Do you know how difficult it took all those qualified people to achieve what you did within half an hour of meeting them ? That immediately convinced me that you're suitable for the role,” He said firmly.

“But don't you want to check my background ? What if I'm some serial killer that's just good with babies ? Maybe I have a fetish for them ? You can't decide on this just based on 2 hours of interaction,” Harry argued, ignoring his inner self who told him to just take up the position without any hassle. But these were babies they were talking about. He had little to no experience with them. He didn't want to hurt them with his lack of knowledge.

“That's why you'll be having a one month trial period. If, within that month, there is anything that I'm not satisfied with, I'll terminate your role as a nanny and offer you a different position within the company that is suitable to your qualification,” Mr. Riddle offered. Harry saw a hint of smugness in his eyes. He was so sure Harry wouldn't be able to resist his offer and, damn him, he was right. He could spend more time with those adorable twins and, if it didn't work out, he had still have a job. It was a win-win situation. “Well, Mr. Potter ?”

“I'll take up your offer, Mr. Riddle. I hope we will both benefit from this arrangement,” He said stiffly.

“Then, here is my address, Mr. Potter. Please be at my door by 7 am sharp with all your luggage. Within that month, you'd be expected to live with us. We'll discuss future accommodations after the trial period is over. Is there any more questions ?” He asked softly. Harry shook his head, giddy that he had secured a job and also sick with worry about his lack of knowledge with babies. “Good. I'll see you tomorrow then. Good day.”

Harry didn't know what he said to him as a farewell. All he was thinking about was calling his mum up to consult with her about the care of babies. Hopefully, he won't be yelled at again.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tom : 25 years old  
> Harry : 20 years old


	3. Chapter 3

Tom smiled in satisfaction when he heard the doorbell. There had always been a possibility that Harry wouldn't show up but that was a small percentage. He straightened his cuffs and went to answer the door. The younger man looked even scruffier in his worn sweater and faded jeans when surrounded by the opulence of the hallway. Since Tom hadn't specified the appropriate attire, he didn't bother pointing it out. Surprisingly, Harry had one small suitcase with him.

Tom let him in and proceeded to outline his various roles, “Thank you for showing up, Mr. Potter. Let me brief you on what is expected of you. Since I've previously hired live-out nannies, I'm the person who bathes them in the morning. Their usual breakfast include milk and some baby food. You'll find that and the instructions on the fridge. After that, their activities are up to your discretion. Here’s a list of approved activities, vetted by some of their earlier nannies. You may take them anywhere you want but please be back by 6. I'll try to reach the house by then but if I'm not back, please bathe and feed them. Is there any question? As I have said, my housekeeper is away for two weeks but she has prepared food for me. You are welcome to get some food as well but generally, you don't have to worry about cooking for us.”

Harry looked slightly overwhelmed by all that he had thrown at him but Tom saw him recover. “If I have any question, may I contact you, sir ? Just in case. And are there any emergency contact ?” The smaller man asked, looking up at Tom. Tom felt himself drowning in those emerald eyes. Why was Tom so fascinated with his eyes ? Maybe because it's his most pleasant feature ? But his smile and his long dark eyelashes was quite a contender as well.

Luckily, a shrill scream broke him out of his reverie. He sent Harry a dry smile. “My daughter. She's an early riser and is never content to let anyone sleep in. In a few moments, you'll be hearing my son as well.” And, true to his words, Caelum’s cries were heard a few seconds later, “Shall we?”

“Um, may I inquire about their mother, sir ?” Harry asked hesitantly. Tom felt himself stiffen involuntarily. He didn't like talking about their mother. In his mind, they didn't have a mother. They just had a surrogate who decided that having children did not suit her image and then dumped them on their unsuspecting father. However, he knew he had to warn Harry about her. She was vindictive and might even try to take them away if she thought it might benefit her. Even when she had signed away all her rights to them in a legally binding contract. They paused outside the twins' nursery. The twins had settled down slightly, probably entertaining each other.

“You don't have to talk about her if you don't want to.” Tom knew Harry was willing to let it go but Tom didn't want him to be caught unaware, “You are never to leave them alone with their mother. Ever. This is the one rule that you have to follow to the letter. Do not even deviate in the slightest,” Tom told him. He couldn't stress the importance. Harry nodded in understanding but Tom could see he was puzzled by Tom’s dictate, “Their mother is a public woman and if she thought that having the kids would help her, she'd do anything to have them. She's Bellatrix Black.”

“The supermodel ? The one who had to be dropped by her label because of her drug addiction or something ?” Harry asked with a gasp. Amusement filled Tom. This was the first time someone had mentioned it in a long time after she went to a rehab. Usually, people would mention her career or her tabloid exploits. Shaking the amusement, Tom was gratified when the younger man took the threat seriously, “I understand and will never, ever let that woman near them.”

“Good. Now let's take care of my children.” Tom didn't know why he believed Harry, he had never trusted any of his managers so implicitly before but he trusted that this young man, this petite, fragile-looking lovely young man would guard Tom’s most prized treasures with his life. And what else could Tom asks for from someone taking care of the most precious people in his world ?

.

Harry dropped onto the sofa wearily. The twins were very active and liked to crawl into every nook and cranny they could find. His entire morning up until their nap had been spent chasing them around the apartment, no, penthouse. And it was a big one. The decor was professionally done. When he first entered, he wondered whether he had just entered a photoshoot for this home decor magazines. It was so nice.

There are five big bedrooms that apparently the twins had missed during their stay there. The office and kitchen were off limits. He steered them away from there when they ever tried to go in that direction. Luckily, they liked to go everywhere together so he could keep an eye on both of them. Plus they always made sure he was within sight. If he was slow, they would just stop and then continued when they saw him again.

Now that Harry had time to actually think, as opposed to just reacting, he wondered what they should do during the afternoon. Most of the specified activities looked dull and unlikely to capture the attention of 2 active 9-month-olds. Visit the museum, no. Who would ever want to do that ? Actually, he would love to but not with the twins in tow.

Looking out of the window, the clear sky and big, puffy clouds entranced him and brought an idea to mind. Since the weather was still relatively warm and there was no forecast of rain, it would be a lovely day for a walk. Maybe to the office building and back ? That would be a good distance for him to get some exercise and also for them to enjoy the fresh air.

Relieved that he had decided on what to do, Harry began to get ready for their afternoon out. Diapers and formulas are important of course. Baby wipes, a change of clothes, an extra change of clothes, emergency formulas. A thermos of hot water to make their milk. Toys to entertain themselves. Extra toys in case they get bored with the first batch of toys. Blankets in case they get cold. The stroller looked full to bursting when Harry was done and he hoped he didn't miss anything. Hopefully, the twins wouldn't give him a hard time. A cry was heard and that's his cue to get ready.

.

An hour later, the three of them were enjoying the, relatively, fresh air. Being in the city, the air was not exactly fresh as the discharge from the vehicles and all that polluted the air. Even so, they were enjoying being out of doors. The twins were looking up at all the buildings and windows in wonder, gesturing to Harry excitedly, while he was just glad that they were having a peaceful outing.

Sometimes, people, mostly women, would stop and remark about their cuteness. The twins would just smile up at them, showing their deep dimples before looking up at Harry, as if signaling the time for admiring was over. Delphi liked the attention so, most often than not, it was Caelum doing the signaling. Harry laughed at how disgruntled Cael would sometimes look when they had to stop. He sure didn't like the attention.

Finally, they saw the building where Mr. Riddle worked. Harry breathed a small sigh of relief. They were halfway through their outing. The cafe further down the street should give his time to recharge and possible refresh the twins. The twins started bouncing when they saw the building, saying, 'Da Da,' happily. Harry smiled down at them, reveling in their enthusiasm, when a drop of water fell on his head. Startled, he looked up and was dismayed. The once languid, puffy white clouds had turned into roiling black, angry clouds.

He started pushing the stroller faster, surprising the twins with the sudden speed, and entered the only shelter in sight, Mr. Riddle’s building.

.

“What's that ruckus over there ?”

Tom looked up from the files he had been reviewing and looked in the direction his cousin’s husband, William Sayre, indicated. A young man was arguing with one of the security guards. He was standing protectively in front of a stroller with two seats and was gesturing to the pouring rain outside. Suddenly, a ball shot from the stroller and fell to the floor. The young man paused their argument and picked the toy up, returning it to the child inside.

The young man looked very familiar. As did the stroller. Without consciousness, he was walking towards them. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw Delphi and Cael in the stroller, brows furrowed, looking at the security guard. Harry and the security guard had stopped arguing when he was within sight but Harry’s expression was livid.

The twins hadn't caught sight of him yet and he saw Delphi throwing her doll in the direction of the guard but, alas, it fell short. He felt amusement bloom in his chest, even as his heart melted slightly at Harry’s show of loyalty. He realized he made a good choice in hiring the younger man. “May I know what is going on here ?” Tom asked placidly. The guard was looking unexpectedly smug, “Mr. Filch ?”

“This man, and his children,” Filch said, spitting out the last two words, “will not leave the building, Mr. Riddle. I've tried to force them out but he won't budge. And those monsters keep attacking me with their toys.”

“But clearly, it's raining quite heavily. Why would you do so ?” Tom asked, perplexed at the guard's attitude. Harry looked ready to argue but Tom shot him a restraining look. Harry stepped back, picking up Delphi’s doll, but shot him a fulminating look. Which shocked him slightly.

“Because you hate children, sir.” The guard said matter-of-factly. Tom felt his jaw drop. He might not like children in the past but he has certainly changed his opinion of them with the advent of his own. And he had never hated them. “You fired one of your managers because he brought his wild kids here. And you've always glared at any children you find in the lobby.”

“Really ? You did that ?” Harry asked disappointedly. Tom didn't know why but he didn't like disappointing the younger man. He felt a wild need to reassure Harry of his good character.

“Da,” Cael suddenly cried, waving his arms at him, asking to be picked up. Tom felt a smile tug on his lips as he unbuckled him and drew him into his arms. Delphi asked to be picked up too so he unbuckled her as well. “Are you attacking unsuspecting security guards, Caelum ? Not good of you to do so, little man.”

Caelum just sent him a drooling smile and laid his head on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss on Delphini’s head when she threw her arms around him. “You too, princess ?”

“See, he can't possibly hate children,” Harry told the stupefied security guard.

“Th-they're yours ?” Filch croaked. Tom shot him a cold glare even as he nodded.

“Yes. Now, please pack your things. I don't need someone who abhors children working for me,” Tom said frostily, trying to avoid the twins' reaching hands.

Harry took Delphi from him, his brows slightly furrowed. “Surely you don't have to fire him ? The job market is so difficult right now. I don't want his unemployment to rest on my head,” He said, looking beseechingly up at Tom.

“But he insulted you. And the twins,” Tom sputtered, surprised by Harry’s plea. He had thought the smaller man would be happy, vindicated even.

“Oh, the twins don't know what he's talking about. They were just angry at him because he was shouting at me. Right, baby girl ?” Harry directed the last sentence to Delphi while rubbing his cheek against Delphi’s. Delphi smiled and continued playing with her doll. “See, they're fine. If you need to satisfy your manly pride and all that, you can get him to do the graveyard shift for, like, a month or so.”

“My manly pride ?” Tom asked in disbelief. Harry nodded absently. Realizing that they had  gathered an audience, he let the guard go but his gaze told the man that they'd have a reckoning at a later date. His sharp glare dispersed the audience, leaving only his cousin’s husband. Who was looking very amused. He cleared his face and prepared to introduce them. “Harry, this is my cousin’s husband, William Sayre. Will, this is my nanny, Harry Potter.”

“Hello,” Harry said, handling a raucous Delphi. She wanted to be put down but Harry managed to appease her with a biscuit. Harry’s voice had an unsettled edge that made Tom look at him in concern. “The two of you are very good-looking. You must have had your share of women in the past. Well, until you got married that is. Your wife must love you very much to have borne your child. She's pregnant with another one, right ? I hope she can give me some pointers because I'm very much new at this. But I do like the twins. They're very likable. Even when they latched on to me when we first met, they did it with such a charming smile, who could have resisted.”

“Harry,” Tom said sharply, cutting him off. Caelum had grown interested in his tie so he loosened it enough to not choke him while the boy played. Harry looked up at him guiltily.

“I'm blabbering, aren't I?” At Tom’s befuddled nod, Harry let out a deep sigh. “It's just that I'm a bit high-strung. I've never been in an argument before. Obviously, I'm a person who avoids confrontation but the guard. Well, he was just unreasonable. Wanting to throw the twins out while it's still raining. I thought others would have helped if your distaste for any children but your own hadn't been known.”

“Well, I'm glad the issue has been resolved,” Tom said comfortingly, adding a silent, “for now.” He still had to educate the guard on the proper ways to treat children. All children. “Now, let me drop the three of you home. And it looks like I have to change as well.”

“Oh, you don't have to do that. The rain has stopped and I'm sure the twins would like a walk back. They had been very excited on the way here,” Harry said earnestly. “From the way they acted on the way here, I gathered they hadn't been out a lot. So this will be a good start. Maybe, when we are back at your apartment, we can discuss where exactly I can bring the twins so that they can enjoy the air and probably play as well.”

Tom was startled by Harry’s observation but couldn't refute it. His children were more energetic, happier, even after the debacle with the security guard. He was glad Harry had noticed that and was working to rectify it. He didn't want his children to have the childhood he did and knew Harry was a good start to prevent it.

“That's a good idea, Mr. Potter,” Tom said, noticing how Harry’s cheeks flushed at his praise even as his eyes lit up. It made the petite man look sweeter the he already was. And delectable. Tom wanted to praise him more just to get that look. Maybe if Tom kissed him?

“How about we walk you back, Harry ?” William said, bringing him out of his reverie. “I would like a place to rest and Tom needs to change. It's a win-win.”

“Considering that you live barely half an hour outside of the city, it does not entitle you a resting stop at my house,” Tom said drily even as he fought to suppress the anger at William for making the suggestion. Why would William want to spend time with the attractive young man ? He was a married man, for goodness sake. Surely he wouldn't be coming onto Harry ? And why did a burst of flame explode from Tom’s chest at the very thought ? Surely he wasn't jealous ? Or angry that William was hogging all Harry’s attention ?

No, Tom wasn't attracted to Harry. Surely, Tom swung both ways but Harry wasn't his type. He liked them tall and having model-like feature, not small and dainty-built, though he had to admit that a petite Harry looked lovely. Tom shouldn't care that Harry was sending all his genuine smiles to William but only looked politely at Tom. Harry wasn't his type. And he shouldn't care that Harry had spoken more with William than he had ever spoken to Tom. Even if this was his first day. He wasn't his type.

“So, let us all walk back. I have a meeting later at 5 and Cael has utterly ruined my suit,” Tom said abruptly. Ignoring Harry’s surprise and William’s amusement, he placed Cael back into his seat, buckled his children in and started to push the stroller out, inclining his head to anyone who passed, even when they were gaping at him.

Even as his chest burned with a feeling he was not willing to identify, he reminded himself Harry was not his type.

.

Mr. Riddle had acted strange, Harry decided as he prepared the twins' dinner. Since it just required opening a jar of baby food, it didn't take long. His thoughts returned to Mr. Riddle as he walked out to the dining room, where he had left the twins. Mr. Riddle would not leave Mr. Sayre alone with Harry. When he had to change, he had asked his cousin’s husband to look for some document.

Harry had been busy taking the twins out of their coverings so he hadn't noticed. Mr. Riddle also stayed close to him when Mr. Sayre had said goodbye. Not noticeably close but closer than was appropriate for an employer and an employee. Harry did notice the amused glint in Mr. Sayre’s s eyes but hadn't known the reason why. He still didn't know why.

Harry was glad that the twins were still occupied with their toys. He had noticed that as long as he didn't leave them alone for any longer than 10 minutes, they wouldn't make a fuss. Putting their bibs on them, he proceeded to feed them. Only to have all their dinner over him a few minutes later.

“Don't you guys like your food ?” Harry inquired, puzzled. They didn't answer him, just avoided the spoon. He looked at the bottle, thinking he got the wrong flavor, Mr. Riddle had specified which flavor for each meal of the day, but it's chicken and rice. It shouldn't be that objectionable. Until he took a whiff of it and promptly gagged.

“What the heck is this ? People actually feed this to babies ? Why am I feeding this to you ? This is an outrage! I shouldn't feed this to you. But what are you guys going to have for dinner ? Maybe there are recipes suitable for peeps your age. Hold tight, little guys while I go and look up homemade baby food.”

Harry went to take his smartphone, still stunned by the awful taste of that baby food. How did it even get pass quality control ? Knowing there were some websites dedicated to making baby food, he looked it up, giving the twins half a banana each to occupy them. After deciding on a recipe, he lugged the twins to the kitchen, knowing it would take at least half an hour, and started preparing the dish. He had decided on a chicken and apple dish, since that was what they were scheduled to eat anyway. He had also decided on keeping to the "four day rule", as advised by the website, as this was the first pure chicken that they had eaten. The chicken in the baby food jar did not count. Luckily, the kitchen was well-stocked. Harry didn't want to make any changes to the recipe since it was his first time using it. And on babies too.

The twins were fascinated. They were raptly watching him chopping and cooking. As luck would have it, he had cooked rice for his dinner so the twins didn't have to wait any longer for their dinner. He felt bad enough about delaying their dinner as it was but he could not, in good conscience, feed them that successfully commercialized nuclear waste. Harry allowed them a taste of the chicken along with some sauce to see if they liked it.

He watched them chew with their currently present teeth. Since he had made sure the chicken was in extra small pieces, they were able to get through it quite fast. From their faces, Harry saw that they liked it. Pleased, he prepared to bring them back to the dining room but Cael demanded another spoonful. Then Delphi.

In the end, Harry fed them in the kitchen. And that was where Mr. Riddle found them when he returned.


	4. Chapter 4

Tom was stunned. When he thought of home, his nanny feeding his children in the kitchen did not come to mind. But that was what greeted him when he went to get a drink after work. His children were happy to see him, waving their hands up but his nanny was less so.

He didn't know what to feel. They were Riddles and Riddles never ate in the kitchen. In fact, he had never seen his mother ever enter the kitchen. So he should feel indignant and anger. However, he saw how happy his twins were. They beamed up at him, melting his heart, but once their mouthful had been swallowed, they'd demand more from Harry. The younger man obliged but sent him a nervous look.

“Can you explain ?” Tom finally asked.

“I was feeding the twins their dinner but they didn't like it. They spat it out the moment it entered their mouth. So, out of curiosity, I tasted it and it was awful !” Harry cried, scrunching his face to show his displeasure. Tom felt his lips curve up but pushed it down. He hadn't decided how he felt about the scene in front of him.

“I can't possibly feed them that horrible concoction so I decided to look up homemade baby food and came up with this.” Harry showed the food even as he fed Caelum some of it. “I brought the twins into the kitchen since it was going to take a while for me to get their food ready. I did plan to feed them in the dining room but I made the mistake of letting them taste some. They wouldn't wait for me to move them. They insisted on being fed the moment their mouth was open. I'm so sorry, Mr. Riddle. It wouldn't happen again,” He finished in a rush.

Tom sighed. He wasn't angry but he didn't like the thought of his children eating in the kitchen. On the other hand, he liked that Harry thought of a way to resolve his children's eating issue instead of forcing it down their throats. And the twins didn't look any worse off. Instead, they seemed to be enjoying the food, despite their surroundings. So he didn't have much ground to stand on if he objected to Harry’s method. He would still have a talk with him about using the kitchen. His housekeeper was very particular about who used it.

“It's alright, Mr. Potter. The twins look like they like it. Why don't you get them ready for bed and come to see me after ? We'll talk about your first day.” Tom said with a tired smile. Harry nodded bashfully but Tom saw the pleased twinkle in his eyes. It made Tom feel three times bigger. It made him uncomfortable, too, at how much pleasure he took in pleasing the younger man so he was harsher than he had to be when he said, “I'll be in my study.”

.

Harry tried, for the hundredth time, to suppress the grin that was creeping into his face as he headed to Mr. Riddle’s study. He didn't have a strong sense of approval in his life. His mum tried to uplift his self-esteem but when continually faced with everyone else putting him down, it's tough to keep that lone light in mind. He didn't know why but Mr. Riddle’s approval meant the world to him.

Mr. Riddle was on the phone when he entered. He waved him to a chair but continued talking. Harry studied the interior of the study. It was totally different from his work office. There was a warm, homey feel to it, different from the cold, powerful feel from work. The theme was a mixture of dark red, mossy green and mahogany that worked well. As usual, he had a huge table that dominated half the room and was situated right in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. The mossy green carpet on the floor was so thick, Harry could literally sleep in it. The walls were a dark red but the white trimmings stopped it from being too overpowering. He was surprisingly comfortable in the room.

“Thank you for waiting, Mr. Potter. Work cannot wait for a man like me,” Mr. Riddle finally said after 20 minutes. Harry sent him a smile and waited for him to continue. He knew the taller man was planning a hostile takeover so he was understandably busy during this period. “How was your day with the twins ?”

“It was fine. They're full of energy and like to explore. They went through the entire house this morning before their nap. Luckily, they waited for me to catch up before they scrambled away again. After the nap, we went for a walk, as you know. And then, we bathed and had dinner,” He told him with a bright smile. Mr. Riddle nodded with a blank expression. “Um, would it be overstepping my boundaries if I asked for a few changes in the house?”

“Please go on, Mr. Potter,” Mr. Riddle just said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Harry felt his lips twist slightly in indecision.

“Could I put away some of the fragile and more valuable items in some rooms so that we could possibly buy a walker for the twins ? They expressed interest in walking but it seems that they had not had much practice with it. They wobbled precariously on their feet. I do not want them to hurt themselves or accidentally break something,” Harry mumbled, finding great interest in the carpet.

“And how about the walker ?”

“I was thinking one afternoon, the twins and I could go to a store and grab one. It'll be a great adventure,” Harry said, his voice expressing his enthusiasm for it. He was looking forward to looking at all the cute baby stuff and it'd be great fun for the twins.

“How are you going to bring the walkers back then ?”

“We'll call a cab. Or the store could have a delivery service. I'll look it up.”

Mr. Riddle was silent, making Harry very nervous. He looked up at him and was caught in his intense dark brown eyes. The feelings they evoked disconcerted him so he looked down again.

“Will the day after tomorrow be a good time ?” He finally said.

“Um, sure. It'll give me time to look things up.”

“Good. I'll get Pansy to rearrange my schedule and we'll go after their nap.”

“Wait. You want to come along ?” Harry asked incredulously.

“Yes, Mr. Potter. I want to be a part of my children's upbringing. Every aspect of it,” Mr. Riddle said in a tone that expected him to argue. However, Harry was amazed.

“That's a great plan. Most parents have a bad time managing their work and children. I hope you can enjoy every step of their lives with them,” Harry said. He hoped it didn't sound so much like a praise. It's not like he was somebody. He was just his nanny but he could applaud his efforts. He hoped he could do the same thing when he had children.

“Lovely. From what I have seen, Mr. Potter, I am very pleased with your first day. The twins like you and are not giving you much trouble. In return, you anticipate their needs and give them a good environment to grow up in. I hope you will continue after the trial period.”

Harry didn't know what they talked about after that, something about being careful to put the utensils back where he found them after use and his housekeeper. He was just basking in his approval. This was the second time in 4 hours he'd praised him. Harry was walking on air. He wished he knew of a way to repay the man.

Wait, had Mr. Riddle eaten dinner?

 


	5. Chapter 5

Stepping into the baby store was like being hit with a bomb of bright colors and cute music. It was disconcerting, alarming and loud. Harry and the twins were unfazed but Tom had to pause for a moment to orient himself. Everywhere he looked was brightly-colored baby and toddler toys and apparel. He was getting dizzy just looking at them, “Do you know what you're looking for ?” He asked Harry, his only anchor in the storm of baby-related items.

“Well, I looked up online and there were a few websites saying that walkers were not effective when it comes to teaching toddlers the art of walking, which is rather alarming. I mean, I used a walker and I walk alright. Maybe less than alright but I'm upright, right ? But, anyway, they did recommend this contraption called an exersaucer so we could go from there,” Harry said, looking up at Tom for approval. Tom nodded even though he had no idea what the smaller man was talking about. _Exersaucer ? What, in fucking creations, was that ?_

“Hi. Can I help you and your...uhm…husband ?” a male store attendant asked brightly. His nametag shows 'Cormac'.

“Oh, we're not married. I'm his nanny,” Harry corrected in a rush, flustered. Tom didn't like his denial or the speed in which it came. However, he didn't like the predatory gleam in Cormac’s eyes when he heard that more. Much, much more.

“I'm looking for exersaucers. These two munchkins are showing great interest in walking and I thought this will help them.” Harry looked up at him after he took the toy away from Caelum. Both twins were extremely happy to be surrounded by toys and wanted to grab all of them.

“If you would follow me,” Cormac said, leading the way but Tom had seen Cormac’s eyes glance to Harry’s gorgeous ass, when the petite man bent down to retrieve the toy. Tom didn't know why but he felt the familiar burning sensation in his chest. He didn't like the way that man was looking at Harry as well as the fact that Harry was inducing this feeling in him. Why couldn't it go away ?

“These are some of our models. Some parents have expressed worries about it, saying it is similar to a walker and will have the disadvantages of walkers. So I would suggest that use it for limited periods. Use it when you want to cook, clean or just need a rest,” Cormac said with a bright smile at Harry. Tom saw the younger man’s cheeks turn red and the burning sensation worsen. He tried to elevate it by reminding himself that Harry wasn't his type but it wasn't working.

“Yeah, I've read on that too,” Harry said absently, looking over the different types. “What do you think, Mr. Riddle ? Which ones do you like ? I was thinking maybe we should go for the ones with the most features. I read this could help with their sensory development.” Harry and that man continued talking. Tom didn't like the rapport building between Harry and Cormac. It made him want to toss the man away. He had to do something.

“That's a good idea. Why don't we look over some models ? Is there a place where my children can test out the toy ?” Tom asked coldly. Cormac, seeing that his commission was almost in the bag, went to find his manager so that they could set up a room for him. He did send a look of promise to Harry, who didn't see it as he was tending to Delphi. Disgruntled, he went on his way.

“You know there's no place where you can test the toys out, right ?”Harry said hesitantly. Tom could see the puzzlement in his eyes. Harry was looking for an explanation.

“I know.” Tom simply said. He didn't explain he couldn't stand the burning sensation in his chest for much longer. He didn't explain that he wanted Cormac to leave or he wouldn't be accountable for his actions. He didn't explain that he only wanted to be with his children and Harry and didn't want any store assistant breathing down his neck. He didn't explain any of that but he did bask in the sense of satisfaction and triumph now that the pesky fly was gone. Now, he could have Harry all to himself.

.

The twins loved their new toys. There were a lot of buttons and toys and noises to be explored. So much so that Harry wanted to rip the saucers apart. He was going crazy. Don't misunderstand. He didn't mind the dangly toys or the colorful, light-up buttons. However, the noisy buttons were killing him.

This was only the second day. Harry did follow the suggestions of the store assistant but the twins kept crawling to their exersaucers. They'd stand, using the exersaucer as support, and pressed all the buttons. Many, many, many, many times. Of course, he would be behind them to catch them in case they fell. He had also placed the exersaucers close together so he'd have an easier time keeping an eye on them.

It was during one of those times when Mr. Riddle called him on the cellphone he provided. “Hello ?” Harry greeted, situating the phone between his ear and shoulder.

“Mr. Potter, are you busy right now ?” Mr. Riddle asked without preamble. He sounded very harried and stressed out.

“Um, not really. I'm just watching the twins play. Can I help you, sir ?”

“Yes. Can you go to the computer in my study ? I need a file today and didn't make a copy on my flashdrive.”

“I'll be happy to help you but I hope you understand that it'll take me a while to actually get to your study. I'll have to bring the twins and their toys to the study. Well, I say toys but I mean their exersaucers.”

“Are they still playing with that ?” Mr. Riddle asked with a smile in his voice. He was also starting to sound more relaxed. “I thought they'd be bored with it by now.”

Harry let a small laugh escape, “They're still playing with it and it looks like they wouldn't stop anytime soon.”

“Are they still pressing the musical buttons ?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Frankly, I'm regretting this purchase. I don't think I can handle any more of this. I believe I may have to tender my resignation soon.” Harry had been semi-serious but hearing Mr. Riddle’s laughter coming through made his spirits fly.

“And leave me to listen to that horrendous music ? You're not getting away that easily, Mr. Potter. And who was it that convinced me to purchase those infernal things ? As we both know, it was you, Mr. Potter. So I put all the responsibility onto you. You have not paid enough penance as of yet so no, I will not accept the resignation,” Mr. Riddle said sternly but Harry heard the teasing note in his voice. A snicker escaped his lips.

“Are you laughing at me ? I assure you—yes, Pansy ?”

Harry was having a good time talking with him that he didn't feel like hanging up but Mr. Riddle’s conversation with Pansy burst that bubble. Harry realized the importance of that file. Mr. Riddle wouldn't have asked this of him if it wasn't. “I'll call you again once I have reached your office,” Harry told him when he returned to the line.

“Yeah,” Mr. Riddle sighed wearily. Harry felt concern bubbling inside him. His boss was pushing himself too hard. Barely sleeping 4 hours every day, even on weekends. He goes straight to his study after he returns, giving the twins a tired smile and sometimes forgetting to eat. This was not healthy and Harry wouldn't be surprised if the man fell sick. “Talk to you later ?”

“Sure. Goodbye,” Harry said hesitantly.

He stayed on the line for a few more seconds before hanging up. Harry looked down onto the phone. He knew he shouldn't be developing feelings for Mr. Riddle but this conversation, it had shown a different side of the older man. And Harry didn't know if he could suppress the feelings away for the playful Mr. Riddle.


	6. Chapter 6

It felt like a boulder was lifted from his shoulders. Finally, the takeover was completed. Tom kept the triumphant grin from his mouth until he reached his office. He felt like jumping with joy, which was uncharacteristic of him. He also felt like calling Harry and sharing the good news with him. He suppressed the impulse and walked with measured steps to his desk.

Once he was seated, he realized there was still a lot of work to be done. There were reports to be done, meetings on restructuring the newly merged companies. He felt a bit of that weight returning and a headache was coalescing at the top of his head. His nose was starting to run as well.

All he wanted to do was go home and play with his children. He had been neglecting them with all the reports and files he had to compile in preparation for the meeting that day. He didn't feel right putting his work aside but he'd made a promise to himself to be a more hands-on father. So, with great reluctance and willpower, he switched off his laptop, told Pansy to rearrange his schedule for the day and left.

.

“Good morning,” Tom croaked to Harry as he shuffled to the kitchen for breakfast. He had a hard time waking up this morning. He had overslept and missed the time to work out. As it was, he had to take a quick shower, which had surprisingly taken longer than usual, and have a small breakfast. He didn't like skipping breakfast. His staff was just going to have deal with his bad mood.

“Are you alright, Mr. Riddle ?” Harry asked, concern in his voice. He had been feeding the twins their breakfast but paused when Tom entered.

“Of course, Mr. Potter,” Tom said imperiously. Well, he tried to but a wracking cough interrupted him. Harry fed the twins a bite and went up to him. He felt Harry’s cold delicate hand on his forehead and saw the worry in those green eyes.

“You're feeling quite hot,” Harry murmured.

“I have a lot of things to do, Mr. Potter. I don't have time to be sick,” Tom snapped.

Harry’s eyes snapped angrily up at him. “Mr. Riddle, you are sick. You have to rest and recuperate. What will happen to the twins if anything happened to you ? At least let the doctor look you over,”

Tom was getting mesmerized by Harry’s sweet, mellow voice. Tom almost nodded but found his mind at the last moment.

“Are you trying to manipulate me ? Because if you are, you won't succeed. I've been in the company of some of the most deceitful men and women in the world and have come on top,” Tom said through a cough. Harry had to support him as this cough shook his entire body. His chest hurt, his face hurt, his everywhere hurt. He didn't know if he had the energy to stand, the cough had sapped whatever energy he could chalk up from the moment he got out of bed. However, even though his coughing fit, he couldn't help but enjoying being against the smaller man. Harry felt soft and warm, unlike his previous dates.

“Would I do that ? I'm just thinking about the twins. What if this is contagious ? You did spend quite some time with them yesterday. Maybe they caught whatever bug you're having. The doctor will know better. Please, Mr. Riddle ?” Tom hesitated. He looked to the twins. They looked fine to him, playing with whatever toy Harry allowed them on their high chairs, laughing and smiling with each other. However, he couldn't risk it. They were still young after all. He started to nod when his world started to turn.

He didn't know how it happened but he found himself in bed with his shirt and boxers, under the cover with Harry putting a damp cloth on his forehead. The twins could be heard in the room across his. They sounded content and he felt so comfortable. His eyelids drooped and his mind drifted off to dreamland.

.

Harry looked down at Mr. Riddle worriedly. The family doctor had just left. Mr. Riddle had barely woke up during the visit but even with his minimal involvement, the doctor, a middle-age, dignified man, was able to figure out that it was mainly exhaustion and stress that had struck him down.

Of course, he knew that but had to play the twins card to get him into bed. Luckily, he was worried about the twins and conceded. Well, Harry thought he did. Mr. Riddle had almost fainted in the dining room when Harry saw what looked to be a nod. It was good enough for him.

Harry had a hard time getting him back to bed. He did help by staying on his feet and taking a few staggering steps in the right direction. After dropping him into his bed, Harry noticed he was wearing his suit and it looked very uncomfortable. Initially, Harry had decided to take off his belt, shoes and socks but when Harry saw he was wearing boxers, he took off his pants as well. Harry removed his tie and blazer and unbuttoned the first few buttons of his dress shirt.

Even though Harry had worried about the twins the entire time he was attending to him, he couldn't help admiring the taller man’s physique. Luckily Mr. Riddle was unconscious or he would have fired him. It would be worth it though, Harry thought with a dreamy sigh.

That was the first time he had been close to a fine specimen of the male sex other than his dorm mates after he came out from the closet. And Mr. Riddle was oh, so fine. Strong arms and thighs. His wide, defined chest. Only when Delphi started crying did he snap out of his staring.

Harry settled the twins in the room across Mr. Riddle’s. The room was chosen because Harry could see into it from inside his room. In case anything happened, he could react quickly. However, they seemed content to play with the toys inside. And he had a video playing for them in a tablet. Luckily, the music didn't disturb Mr. Riddle’s rest.

Harry had to call Pansy to request for the doctor's number. It hadn't been pleasant. And he, the prince of nice, had to be rude, obnoxious and just plain nasty.

“Look, Mr. Riddle will not be coming into the office regardless of whatever you say. Apart from the fact that I don't want him to go, he's currently unconscious and unresponsive. So you better move around his appointments or get someone to replace him,” Harry snapped into the phone. He felt very satisfied and empowered, acting tough and all, but hearing Caelum cry burst that bubble.

The twins were becoming fussy, clingier afterwards. They wouldn't let him out of their sight. He had to a difficult time putting them down for their nap. They woke up at the slightest sound and when one woke up, the other was soon to follow. So, receiving frequent calls from Pansy was not welcomed.

“No, Pansy. I'm not able to help you with that. I don't know anything about the situation. I don't have a clue about who or what you're talking about. Didn't Mr. Riddle hire you because of your independence ?” Harry was getting frustrated, annoyed and just plain frazzled. Both the twins were crying their lungs out and nothing he did help. He was currently bouncing both twins on his hips with then phone on his shoulder.

“Well, yeah but he didn't give me specific instructions and—Can you please put that heathen down ?” Pansy snapped over the phone.

“Well, you can put your attitude where the sun doesn't shine,” Harry snarled.

“If you hadn't done something to Mr. Riddle, I wouldn't be in this fucked up position right now. So you can stuff your own problems up your ass and help me solve my problems. Clearly, mine are more important, seeing as it involves a lot more people than those two bastards,” Pansy shot back loudly. Harry felt his blood boil.

“Listen here, you crazy, dumb bitch. Clearly Mr. Riddle hired you because of your skillset. Supposedly, you are the best candidate for the job. But, seeing as I have seen no evidence of this, I believe I should feedback to Mr. Riddle that he'd hired an incompetent, mindless person to help handle his work and he should just find another one. Oh, and the twins aren't bastards !”

Suddenly, the phone slipping away. Wait, it was slipping to the back ? Looking back, Harry was confronted with the wonder that was Mr. Riddle’s shirtless chest.

“Let me talk to her,” Mr. Riddle said, his voice still rough with sleep. At that, Harry stepped back, shaking his head. The twins had been quiet when they saw their father. Their chest still heaved slightly from all the crying but they looked less stressed than before. Harry was happy about that even as he was trying to think of a way to get his phone back.

“No. You'll just use it for work.”

“I promise I'll just give her some instructions that will take care of the office for the next day or two. Go to my room,” Mr. Riddle said gently. And that was when he was reminded of his job. Wow, Harry was certainly showcasing his capabilities. He hesitated.

“I promise it won't be longer than ten minutes.”

After deliberating for a few moments, Harry nodded and Mr. Riddle began talking to Pansy. Looking at him, Harry was glad that the man looked better. The 5 hour rest had done him good. Plus Harry had a nutritious chicken soup bubbling away for him. Hopefully, he'd be much better before the day was over.

The twins were finally settling down for their nap. Their heads were settling into the crooks of Harry’s neck and they had difficulty keeping their eyes open. They must have been worrying about their dad. Clearly seeing him almost faint had had an adverse effect on them. Darling babies, he thought, smiling down on them.

“Harry, lay them on my bed. I'll join the three of you shortly.”

Harry nodded, still looking at the twins and made his way to Mr. Riddle’s room.

It was only when he was almost to the room when he realized the taller man had called him Harry.


	7. Chapter 7

Tom sighed, leaning against the wall outside his room. He was still weak and listless but at least he had more energy than this morning. That was a plus. However, dealing with Pansy had sapped away most of his recovered energy. He hadn't known his assistant was so inflexible and incompetent with dealing with unexpected cock ups.

He knew he had never been ill before but he was still human. And sometimes, he could very well not come in if he didn't feel like it. Even though that had never happened before, Pansy should have been able to adapt to changes and not trouble him with more problem. However, when he had taken the phone from Harry, she had inundated him with all the issues that had cropped up.

To him, most of them were easily solved by turning to his vice-president but apparently, the man was missing. If that was how the higher ups in his company were behaving without him, he had to do some restructuring when he went back. He managed to resolve all the problems and left instructions that should cover the next day or two. However, it took him more than the ten minutes he promised Harry. Hopefully, the petite man wasn't mad at him.

Walking into his room, he stopped short when he saw the sight that greeted him. Harry was lying on the bed with the twins on either side of him. Both of them were snuggled close to him side, eyes closed, and looked like they weren't willing to let go. Harry had his arms around them and his face was relaxed in repose.

Tom didn't know why but his chest felt lighter and a smile grew on his face. He wanted to join them, putting the twins in between him and Harry. Such a domesticated thought had never entered his mind before now. Before the twins, he hadn't thought much about children and what they entailed. Once he had the twins, his main focus was juggling their care with his work. Never had he thought to sleep with them. Now, with Harry, the thought was very appealing.

“Mr. Riddle ?” Harry said, his voice thick with sleep. Harry moved to stand but the twins cried out so he just laid down. “Sorry for falling asleep. I didn't know I was so tired.” A yawn engulfed the last few words. “And sorry for taking your bed. The twins are not going to release me anytime soon.”

“It's alright,” Tom said, sitting beside Delphi and within sight of Harry. He ran his hand over Delphi’s hair, finding the silkiness of her hair soothing. “Thank you for taking care of Pansy when I was out of it. She mentioned that you called the doctor. So what did he say ?”

“You have an incurable disease that they are still working to identify. They'll be coming to bring you to quarantine soon. In fact, I have to keep the children away from you,” Harry said gravely, his face set in serious lines. Tom knew the younger man was joking. Knowing he should feel offended, Tom arranged his face into a scowl.

“Are you sure ? Because, in my opinion, exhaustion is not a new disease,” Tom said. It was comical watching Harry’s face change. Harry knew he was caught and sent him a shy smile, making it difficult for Tom to maintain his scowl.

“You heard what the doctor said ?” Harry asked meekly, bringing Caelum to Delphi’s side and laying on the side, making it easier for them to converse. Caelum only shifted once before falling back into a deep sleep. Harry shook his newly-freed arm with a slight grimace. “Dang, my arm hurts. Didn't expect that. Wha—sir, you need not do that.” Harry’s arm was currently being massaged by the older man, over the twins' heads. Tom sent him a determined look when he tried to take it away. Harry rolled his eyes at him and left it in his care. Tom felt a warm satisfaction, knowing he could bring the younger man some comfort.

“No. But I can guess. And, if you'd thought I was jeopardizing the twins, you wouldn't have brought them anywhere near me.”

Harry’s face lit up at his comment but Tom was serious. Tom knew Harry took the twins' wellbeing seriously and he respected that. He couldn't ask for a better nanny.

“Well, then. I hope you'll take care of your health then. Unless you've updated your will in case you keel over and die. That way the twins will always be taken care off.” Harry made it sound like a joke but there was a bite to his words. Tom liked the way the delicate man took care of him so he relented.

“I'll rest as much as possible but I can only spare one more day before things go ape shit in the office.”

“Language !” Harry hissed, looking pointedly at the twins.

Tom didn't know how to feel, being taken up to task, but he mouthed his apology.

“I guess that's the best you can give then. But, please, don't do this again : work until you basically collapse. The twins were very clingy and fractious. They kept fussing over everything and nothing comforted them. They didn't want to go down for their nap. That is, until they saw you. They fell asleep soon after seeing you back on your feet.”

Looking down on the relaxed faces of his children, he felt warmth and guilt build up in him. “I'm still adjusting to being a dad. My parents weren't good examples. They only focused on their work. I guess I followed in their footsteps until I was given these two brats. I floundered those first few nights. They kept crying and nothing but being in my arms helped. Luckily, I had my grandma to help. She is a fantastic person and the twins grew to love her but they wouldn't let me leave for extended periods of time. Some people recommended a nanny but clearly, you can see they didn't help.”

“I believe they have a definite idea of who they like. Look at me, for example. They immediately latched on to me when we first met but when I tried to pass them off to someone else, they wouldn't let me go,” Harry related with a laugh. Tom smiled, feeling his guilt lightening.

“Being a father is much harder than being a CEO. Sometimes, I look at them and wonder whether I'm doing the right thing.”

“I don't think you'll ever be sure. People are ever changing so when you think you've got it down to pat, they'll show another side and you'll have to readjust. I think that you're doing a fine job as it is. From the way they behave, it's like you've known each other since they were born. Admittedly, they were quite clingy and dependent on normal days but I'm sure they'll grow out of it the longer they are in a secure, loving environment. I don't even want to think about how their mother must have treated them. From what I've been reading, they must not have received the loving attention they needed.”

“From the way they initially acted, I wouldn't be surprised. I hope we can help them replace all those bad memories,” Tom said before realizing his slip. He knew Harry caught it. Harry’s eyes had grown almost double their size. “Um, you know. We as in, uhm, anyone who is involved in their upbringing.”

“Oh. That makes more sense than what I was thinking,” Harry murmured, pulling his arm from Tom’s hand. Tom’s hand moved to move it back but he made himself stop.

The tension and awkward air grew in intensity. He didn't know what to say to break it but nothing came to mind. He hadn't had practice with being in this situation. Suddenly, his stomach let out a loud, rather obnoxious grumble. His face went red with embarrassment while Harry tried to hide his smile.

“There's a pot of chicken soup for you in the kitchen,” Harry said, his hidden smile evident in his voice. Tom sent him a mock glare.

“I see that my job here is to provide you entertainment. Please excuse me while I fuel up for future acts,” Tom joked haughtily.

A giggle escaped from Harry’s mouth. Tom felt something inside him soften. As always, he was experiencing new things around the petite man but this scared him. He didn't know why but instinctively, he shied away from it. Not knowing what else to do, he immediately left the room.

These feelings had to stop.

.

The twins had been acting weird the entire morning. They kept going to Tom’s room and continually asked for him. Harry told them he'd gone to work but they seemed to be unsatisfied with the answer. They kept crawling around the house, shouting, 'Da Da', every now and then.

He tried calling Tom on his personal phone but he didn't pick up. He was starting to become worried. They eventually settled down for their naps but it was a fitful rest. Seeing that, he decided another outing was called for.

.

The twins looked happy to be out. The London weather was cooperating with them and clear skies could be seen all around. Women, and some men, cooed to the twins when they stopped at a traffic light and they were absorbing all of the attention.

Finally, Tom’s building came into view. The twins became even more excited. The words 'Da Da' kept spilling out of their lips. Harry laughed at their antics and they showed him their 3-teeth smile.

Their entry into the office area was unhindered this time. The receptionist and guards let them in instantly. However, the only issue was when Delphi threw her toy to the guard near the elevator. She wouldn't stop frowning up at him. Harry tried to explain that he wasn't the guard from before but she was resolute. Laughing softly at her stubbornness, Harry sent a look of apology to him. He just shook his head and sent Harry a charming smile. Realizing how attractive he was, his cheeks reddened and he looked down. Attractive men and him, just didn't mix.

The office was as bustling as ever and Harry felt a pang that he couldn't work the same scope as them. He really wanted to put his education to good use. In his opinion, why go through 4 years of college and not use the piece of paper ? It's practically wasteful.

Comforting himself with the twins, he continued to the CEO's office. Pansy let them through with a nod and Harry sent her a thankful smile. Not wanting to unknowingly disrupt a meeting, because that's the only reason he could think of for him to not pick up his calls, he parked the twins beside the door and entered.

And immediately came back out.

.

Hearing the door slam close, Tom lifted his head up from the couch. He furrowed his brows. He had specifically told Pansy not to let anyone in so he didn't know who could have disturbed him. He thought he heard Caelum shout belligerently, 'Da Da.' Thinking it was a figment of his imagination, he dropped back down the sofa but shot up when he heard Harry say, “Dadda is busy, Cael. We'll wait for him at home, alright ? Here's a biscuit.”

“Tom,” the naked woman beside him moaned sleepily. “What's going on ?”

Tom shot up and looked down at the woman in horror. Had Harry seen her ? Of course he had. He had have to be blind not to. Their clothes were everywhere and the couch was within sight of the door. Panic grew in his chest. Oh god, what was he supposed to do ? He didn't want Harry to think that this was the only thing he did at work, that he was a playboy. He didn't know why but he didn't want him to think that. What if he decided to quit? He couldn't have that.

He hastened to dress and told Pansy not to let Harry leave but made sure he wouldn't see the woman leaving. Getting the woman to leave was a harder task. She was still there when he returned from his personal bathroom to wash up. He didn't even know who this woman was but she was acting like he had betrayed her. She whined and tried to stall. Finally, having to threaten her with security, he had the office to himself. Regaining his composure, he told Pansy to bring them to the office.

Pansy confidently walked in but Harry peeked in from the door. Once determining that everything was back to normal, he pushed the stroller in. The twins began jumping in their seats when they caught sight of him. Their pleasure at seeing him lightened the load of panic in his chest and he bent down to release both of them. They gave him a kiss before wondering about the office.

“Um, I'm sorry for walking in just now,” Harry mumbled softly. Tom was kneeling beside the stroller, watching his children be happy and free. When he looked up, he saw the younger man’s face was flushed red and those green eyes were darting everywhere except him. When they briefly landed on him, Tom saw a tinge of pain in them. He didn't know why but his heart fluttered with pleasure. And guilt too but his pleasure far outweighed that. God, his emotions were everywhere with regards to the lovely man.

“Who told you that you can enter ? I told Pansy that I wasn't to be disturbed until I revoked that command,” Tom asked curiously. Harry’s eyes stopped moving and his brows furrowed cutely down at him. Cute ? When had he ever used that as a description for a man ? Never, that's when ! So that word did not just come into his mind.

“Pansy told me I can enter,” Harry said slowly. Now, Tom’s own brows were drawn together. Why had Pansy willfully disobeyed him ? She might not be the most independent assistant but she always followed his directions to the tee. Any directions.

Suddenly Harry shot to his desk. Caelum had somehow found his way onto his office chair and was standing up, using the table as support. Luckily, Harry caught him before the chair moved too far away. He liked the way Caelum turned to the green-eyed man and smiled, showing his one tooth and one growing stump. He also liked the way Harry reacted, a smile and tickling his chin. So much so that he felt the warmth in his heart. That immediately wiped the smile off his face.

Why was Tom still affected by him? He'd thought the interlude with that woman would have helped keep this attraction away. Because wasn't it due to the fact that he hadn't had sex for so long ? Two months was long right ? He knew he had been busy with the twins so he hadn't had as much time as he usually did. But why was his dick stirring again ?

“I'm, um, so sorry for coming uninvited,” Harry suddenly said nervously. He was currently on the floor with Caelum in his lap. Tom caught the petite man sending a guarded look to him and realized Harry had misinterpreted his scowl. Before Tom could say anything, Harry rushed in and said, “I tried calling but you didn't pick up. Thinking that you were in a meeting, I decided to drop by for a quick visit. I didn't think that it was a personal meeting. Next time, I'll wait until you give me the green light before I make my way here.”

The discomfort Harry was exhibiting made Tom feel ashamed of the pleasure he felt. Tom didn't ever want the younger man to feel uncomfortable in his presence, especially not pain. Walking over and dropping down beside him, Tom slung an arm over Harry’s shoulder and faced him, wanting to comfort him. Initially, Harry became stiff.

“Don't beat yourself up over this. It's not all your fault,” Tom said. The emerald eyes were trained resolutely on the floor. “I shouldn't have neglected my phone. You wouldn't have been able to reach me if anything had happened to the twins. I promise I'll pick up all your calls from now on.”

Harry had looked up during the middle of his speech. Somehow, both of their heads had moved closer to each other so that Tom’s last word was whispered on to Harry’s lips. Tom felt himself get caught in those emerald eyes of Harry’s, getting entangled in their mesmerizing depth. Harry’s eyes darted down to Tom’s lips and back up to his eyes. Tom saw the struggle in his eyes. To let Tom kiss him or not. Just as Tom saw Harry beginning to lean into his lips, Delphi suddenly let out a happy squeal.

Harry’s head whipped to where Tom’s daughter was and a horrified gasp escaped him. Harry immediately shot to Tom’s daughter, taking the pen out of her hand. Her arms and legs were full of her scribbles and she didn't want to let the pen go.

As Harry carried his unrepentant daughter into his personal restroom, Tom let out a half-amazed, half-incredulous laugh. Settling on the floor, Caelum crawled into his lap, deciding to have a rest. Gently stroking his son's hair, his mind turned to what just happened. Cock-blocked by his own daughter. Tom guessed that's what all parent had to deal with. He'd just have to manage around it.

.

Harry let out a heavy sigh as he left the building. He had a hard time convincing Mr. Riddle that he could return on his own. He had insisted that it wasn't safe for him to be out alone, citing the crime rate in the city and even the paparazzi. Fortunately, Harry hadn't been troubled by them he had dismissed his boss’ concern. However, Mr. Riddle had almost succeeded in sending them back until Harry pointed out all the work he had to do. Which was counterproductive to his healing but Harry wanted - no, needed- time and space to deal and process what he had walked into.

Harry knew Mr. Riddle was a man and had urges. Harry even accepted that his name would always be linked to prominent, beautiful men and women and he'd eventually wed someone from his class. So why did he feel hollow and a faint throbbing in his chest ? Why did it feel so difficult to breathe ?

“Hey, aren't you the nanny ?” A male voice broke him out of his thoughts. Realizing they were at a traffic light, he looked to the voice and saw the guard from before. Only now, he was out of the uniform and in a black tank top with dark, worn blue jeans. He had a duffel bag slung over his shoulder, highlighting his bulging biceps. Harry’s eyes were stuck on those big biceps. Would he let him touch it? Finding his glittering light grey eyes on him, Harry immediately turned to the road.

“So, you haven't answered my question.” Question ? What question ? His biceps had effectively wiped all thoughts out of Harry’s head. “But with that stroller and those twins, I think it's pretty self-explanatory. What's your name, then, beautiful ?”

Even as his cheeks flushed, Harry felt a smile tug on his lips. “Does that line always work for you ? ‘What's your name, beautiful?’ Maybe with some flexing and a sexier drawl. But, that line definitely doesn't work for me,” Harry told him with a laugh. The man’s astonishment was such that his mouth hung open even after the light turned green. “Are you going to cross?”

“What ? Oh, yeah. And I don't go around using that line alone. I have other lines. But, anyway, I'm Rudolph, Rudolphus Lestrange. Now that I've introduced myself, manners dictate that you return the favour. What would your mother say ? She'd spent all those time instilling those lessons in you and you're to just throw it out the window ? Tsk.”

“Well, I don't want to let my mother down so here goes nothing. I'm Harry Potter and yes, I'm _the_ _nanny_. In the stroller are Caelum and Delphini. But I don't know you so you're not allowed to hold them,” Harry said firmly. The man—Rudolphus let out a laugh but Harry didn't see what was so funny. He didn't know that guy. The man could be a pedophile for all he knew. Or a hired man. As handsome and charming as the man was, Harry was not going to take that risk.

“Hey, wanna grab a cup of coffee ? This can also be a chance for you to get to know me better. I know I want to get to know you better,” Rudolphus invited with a smile. Harry hesitated. He hadn't gone for a personal outing since he started taking care of the twins. But it didn't seem right, especially when he was currently out with the twins. Regardless of how handsome the outing was.

“Maybe another time ? I really need to get back and prepare the twins' dinner,” Harry offered. Rudolphus looked taken aback. Must be the first time someone turned him down. “Let me give you my number and we'll arrange a time.”

“Sure. Here's my phone.” The curly-haired gave Harry his phone and Harry put in his personal number. Obviously he wouldn't use the one Mr. Riddle gave him. That's was purely for twins-related issues. “Alright. Let's meet again soon then. Bye, babies.”

The twins waved, surprising him. Harry didn't know they could do that on demand but he smiled nevertheless. His heart fluttered slightly and his face turned pink when Rudolphus sent him a wink. Harry blamed it on the fact that he's a charmer, seeing as there's a lack of that in his life, so he dismissed it.

Continuing on their journey home, his mind returned to the afternoon. The smile immediately dropped from his face and his heart felt so much heavier. Harry didn't want to admit it but he knew he had developed some feelings for Mr. Riddle. Romantic feelings. Maybe bordering on love—

Harry shook his head vigorously. No, he couldn't have fallen in love with him. One reason being that the older man was so far out of his league. He might as well be in the mud while Mr. Riddle was a prince in a glorious castle. And another reason would be his reputation. He was a consummate professional but his private life was littered with models or celebrities. All beautiful, poised, confident people. Harry, on the other hand, was borderline beautiful, embarrassed himself on a regular basis and barely had the courage to talk to Rudolphus, regardless of the fact that the man initiated the conversation. So Harry had no business forming a crush on him. Harry had to get over this crush and behave in a professional manner with him. Hopefully, he could hide his feelings from him while he worked on getting over him. Unlikely but hope springs eternal.

They'd finally reached the penthouse and he released the twins from the stroller. He had already barricaded the entrance to the hall and kitchen so they could only roam around in the living room. With that knowledge, he worked on keeping their stroller and putting away their toys, jackets, blankets and everything else he packed for their outing.

With his hands full, he was unprepared for the arm around his waist, the stiff body crowding his back and the whisper in his ears, “Who was that man ?”


	8. Chapter 8

Tom was furious. His vision was a sea of red. He felt like tearing someone apart. Preferably that curly bastard that tried to hit on his Harry. He tightened his arm around the younger man and asked him again.

“Who is that man ?”

Harry sent a puzzled look up at him. Tom noted absently again that the petite man had to look up a little bit far. He liked that. He also liked that the younger man was fit around his arms. Almost to the point of forgetting _that_ man. Almost. “That man,” Tom spat, “Who walked with you to the coffee shop.”

“Oh. That's Rudolphus. He's a security guard at your building. He wanted to stop for coffee,” Harry said with a hint of wistfulness in his voice, “but I reminded him about my responsibilities. We're going to arrange for another time.”

“You're not going out with him !” Tom told the younger man harshly.

Harry frowned at him. Tom scrambled to think of a reason that would explain his decree and he found one that was fairly acceptable. “Employees are not allowed to fraternize. So you are not allowed to see him again. Ever.”

“But we're only going out for coffee ! It's not like we're meeting for a rendezvous,” Harry protested with a scowl, turning in Tom’s arms. Tom had to loosen his hold to accommodate the load in Harry’s arms. He almost smiled at Harry’s outrage but didn't because he knew it wouldn't help his cause.

“Regardless, I do not and will not condone any further contact with him. If you disobey me in this, I will have a bodyguard trail you. Don't fight with me on this !” Tom snapped fiercely. He knew Harry wasn't happy with his dictate but the younger man treasured his anonymity more. The twins' even more. With a grumble, Harry nodded.

“That's a silly rule to have,” Harry mumbled as he tore out of Tom’s arms, “I didn't read about this when I prepared for the interview. Stupid rule.” Tom felt an unexpected surge of relief. He tried to play it off as protecting his naive nanny but he could never lie to himself.

Tom had rushed through work so that he could surprise Harry while the smaller man was on the way back. Tom had even cancelled meetings and forced it down his executive's throats just so he could clear his afternoon. Tom had looked out for Harry as he drove along the path the younger man took. And **almost** crashed his second-most prized possession when he had seen Harry with Rudolphus. Tom had **almost** stomped out of his car and dragged the petite man away from _that man_.

 **Almost** being the key word here. Before he could act on his impulse, Tom decided to continue home and talk about it with Harry, like the rational adult that he was. And not the overbearing, possessive male that he was becoming with regards to Harry. Only, Harry had taken an inordinately long time to return. Every minute that passed, his mind though of all the sexual positions those two might have engaged in and his anger flamed to new heights. He forgot about the twins being with Harry. And how they might be a damper in any sexual overtures. All his mind could focus on was them. In bed. Together.

When he had finally heard them enter, Tom’s anger exploded into this animalistic fury. He had to make sure _that man_ hadn't touched the delicate man. Hadn't touched what was **his**. Had to make Harry stay away from _that man_. In the state of mind he was in, he didn't pay attention to what he thought. Verification was all he could focus on.

Tom avoided the twins, knowing they'd give away his presence and hid in the kitchen, knowing Harry had to pass it to reach the twins. Once Harry passed by the entrance to the kitchen, Tom struck. Tom was immediately hit with Harry’s own scent, baby powder and a hint of marigold underneath. With no other male scent interlaced with his, Tom relaxed. Only to stiffen again when the younger man expressed interest in _that man_.

Now that he had made sure Harry wouldn't go near _that man_ again, through an admittedly fictitious rule, Tom knew he couldn't hide from his feelings anymore. The raw intensity and anger he had just expressed were not typical of an employer-employee relationship. It signaled that Tom wanted a deeper and more intimate relationship.

But with what Harry had walked into this afternoon, would the younger man want to develop their bond further?

.

Harry was in a bad mood for the rest of the day. He had been looking forward to having a friend. With his life as it was, it was difficult maintaining friendships. He had lost contact with all of his high school and college friends. Even though he had graduated barely two months ago. And most of them had been mere acquaintances. Well, all of them actually.

He had hoped to develop more meaningful friendships in the workplace. But, seeing as his workplace involved infants and an unreachable boss, there goes that plan. Harry sighed. Friendship just wasn't in his cards. Harry was in his room, musing over his lack of luck in finding and keeping friends. He shook his thoughts off and started to get ready for bed.

Suddenly, his phone chimed, indicating that there was a notification. That was unusual. He only received texts from the mother and calls from telemarketers. With his near-homeless state a few weeks ago, he rarely answered calls. Furthermore, his mum only texted him every few weeks. Just to make sure he was still alive and well. He’d sometimes call her for a more in depth update but that was the extent of his phone usage. So receiving a notification was an abnormality.

Cautiously approaching his phone, Harry picked it up and saw that he had a text from an unknown number. The number was from the area but he didn't recognize it. Opening it, a smile suddenly lit his face. It was Rudolphus. He was arranging a time for them to meet. Harry’s smile turned bittersweet as he recalled that he had to stop all contact with him.

Rudolphus : _Hey. Rudolph here. Just wondering if you're free tomorrow to meet up._

Taking his time to compose his answer, Harry made sure he was alone before answering. Luckily, he had settled the twins down for the night. And they only woke up once or twice in the night. So that's one task done. Harry could focus all his attention on Rudolphus now.

Harry : _I'm sorry but I have to decline. Mr. Riddle says employees are not allowed to fraternize  :(( Hope you're not too disappointed_

Rudolphus : _I didn't know we had that rule. Let me check it and get back to you lol  I'm sure we'll run into each other when you come and visit him. Just don't be too surprised by what you walk into. Or learn to hide it. The entire building is talking about how fast you hightailed it out of there_

Harry frowned. Everyone knew ? How ? He asked Rudolphus about it.

Rudolphus : _Pansy set you up. She wanted to scandalize you. Everyone thinks it's because you made Mr. Riddle stayed away from the office. I think it's because she has a crush on him and wants to clear the field of any competitors._

Harry : _Competitor ? Me ? As if. I'm not good looking enough to get his attention !_

Rudolphus : _We're on a fishing expedition, are we? ;)_

Fishing expedition ? What was he talking about ? Has it been that long since Harry had texted? Was he so out of the texting lingo ? God, just how old was he ? Deciding to bury his pride and ask him about it, Harry sent an immediate refusal when Rudolphus explained.

Harry : _What? No ! I'm just stating the truth. Anyway, thanks for the offer but.... I need this job_.

Rudolphus : _Hey, don't mention it. And I totally understand. With the job market as it is, we need any job that comes around. See you around then :)_

Harry : _See you :)_

Harry put his phone down but he couldn't stop smiling. Maybe this could be the start of a beautiful new friendship.


	9. Chapter 9

“Mr. Ridd—”

“Tom,” Tom corrected Harry. He heard the younger man sigh on the other line and stifled a grin. “Why are you calling me, Harry ?”

“ _Tom_ , there's this middle-aged woman who claims to be your housekeeper—”

“What does she look like ?” Tom cut in, the urge to hide his grin a thing of the past when he heard Harry huffed of annoyance.

“Short and plum, matronly. Red hair, bright brown eyes and, uhm, kind-faced ?”

“Yes, I believe so. And I also believe that I told you she's returning in two weeks. Admittedly she's early by a few days but I don't think that should be an issue ?”

“Well, no. The twins seems to know her and are playing with her now. She's surprisingly gentle with them. And I think she's taking over the making of their meals, which is more than fine with me. But the thing is, she's banned me from the kitchen !” Harry hissed.

Tom winced. He knew how much the petite man liked the kitchen. If Tom didn't know any better, he would think he had hired a chef because Harry kept cooking for him. That was on top of what Mrs. Weasley left for him. He would be hard-pressed to decide whose cooking he liked better.

Suddenly, movement from his peripheral returned his attention to his surroundings. He was in his favourite restaurant with his closest friend and cousin. They had decided to meet. And usually, they did not allow phone calls to come through but this was Harry. It could have been about the twins. Or, in this case, a conflict between his nanny and housekeeper. Plus Harry had been acting distant since that day. Tom tried to lighten the air between them, talking and joking with the younger man more often, but there was always a barrier between them. And he didn't know how to push it away. So Tom would always entertain any voluntary contact from him. Always.

Seeing his cousin looking extremely pissed off, he decided to end the call. “We'll talk about it when I get back,” Tom promised. Laughing at Harry’s second huff of annoyance, he left kisses for the twins and returned to his cousin.

“I didn't know we allowed phone calls at the table, cousin.” Tom’s cousin, Gormlaith Gaunt, said coldly. Tom shot a glare at her as he took a seat. “And what's with the happy look and smiles ? You look like you've arranged a hook up.”

“That was my nanny—”

“Is there anything wrong with the twins ? Rionach can come down for a look if you want,” William offered, cutting in. Taking in a deep breath for patience, Tom waited a while before replying.

“No. Mrs. Weasley has returned and apparently banned Harry from the kitchen,” Tom explained. William barked out a laugh while Gormlaith’s lips twisted into a sneer.

“Why do you need to care so much about your nanny ? Why does it matter if he gets banned ? As long as he's doing his job, whatever happens in his life should not matter,” Gormlaith said dismissively. Tom took a while to take a good look at his cousin. Her dark mahogany hair was stylishly pulled into a bun and her black on black outfit was immaculate. She was a consummate businesswoman but she had an air of detachment around her. Like she wasn't touched by his surroundings.

 “Well, seeing as he prepares the twins' meals, I guess it's an issue with me.” Tom fibbed, getting annoyed with her pompous attitude. William, sensing the tension growing, made to change the subject.

“So, Rionach’s throwing a party for Isolt’s birthday and she wants all of you to come. It's next Saturday,” William said as he sliced into his steak. Gormlaith started to refuse but William cut in. “Did I say want ? Your sister demands your presence. Work is not a reasonable excuse. If you try that, she's going to have head on a platter. She'll hound you for the rest of the year if you're not there.”

“I don't know why you accede to that woman's ridiculous demands,” Gormlaith said, her voice artic cold. A fact about her was that the more irritated she became, the colder she'd get. William and Tom shared a look and decided to ignore her comment.

“So, where will you be staying ? And how long will you be here ?” Tom asked, abruptly changing the subject.

“I'll be staying at my usual hotel and I'll be going back tomorrow. Do you want to hit the clubs tonight ?” Gormlaith asked Tom. When he hesitated, she scowled. “Come on. It's been so long since we got together. I'd actually like to do something fun.”

“Yeah, alright,” Tom said, giving in. It was not often that Gormlaith felt like having fun so he should accommodate her this once. “Let me inform Harry about this. Excuse me.”

Ignoring Gormlaith’s censorious look and William’s amused one, Tom left the restaurant and made the call. It rang a few times before Harry picked up, sounding all breathless. His mind immediately took him to all the reasons the younger man could possibly sound breathless, the only reasons Tom could only think of being sexual reasons. And Tom missed Harry’s greeting.

“Hello ? Mr. Riddle ?” Tom heard Harry ask. His phone was right beside his ear but Harry sounded very far away. “Hello ? Shh, shh.”

“Tom. Call me Tom,” Tom answered absently as he returned to reality. He heard Caelum’s babble nearby and concluded that Harry was carrying him. “Is everything alright ? Why isn't Cael down for his nap ?”

“He's very active this morning. He refuses to lie down. Luckily, Delphi’s down or I don't know what I'll do,” Harry told him, responding to Caelum’s babble with ‘hmm’s and ‘yeah’s. “So why'd you call ?”

“I'll be home late tonight. My cousin is in town and she wants to go to the clubs,” Tom told him. The silence at the other line was making him antsy. He didn't know why but he felt like reassuring the younger man. “I promise I won't bring anybody back and I'll definitely be home by midnight.”

“So, you're Cinderella now. Glad to know. Tell me again, when was your gender change ? And where's the fairy godmother ?” Harry teased.

“Ha ha ha,” Tom deadpanned, to which Harry giggled. Tom had to smile at that. It was joined with Caelum’s own giggle and it only needed Delphini’s laugh to complete the picture.

“Oh !” Harry said excitedly, stopping suddenly, “I'm allowed back into the kitchen !”

“How ? What did you do ? Promise to sell your future newborn ?” Tom asked lightly, taking a seat at one of the benches that were always in the hallways of the country club. Tom heard Harry snort and Caelum laughing. “It was a valid question because Mrs. Weasley does not allow anyone into her kitchen. She has a strict ‘No entering’ policy. She barely allows me to move around in there. And that's when she's left.”

“The twins weren't eating. I tried to entice them by eating some to show that it's delicious and accidentally ate the entire bowl. I know Mrs. Weasley made some extras so I went for a refill and they began to eat. Then, she said, "You can come in", and just left. I don't want to ask for a clarification so I'll just take it that I'm back in !” Harry finished excitedly but softly. From the 'shh' and humming here and there, he knew Caelum was finally settling down for his nap.

“That's good. I have to go now. Give the twins a kiss for me,” Tom said softly. Once Harry acknowledged, he ended the call and was surprised to find William and Gormlaith beside the chair. “What are you two doing here ?”

“Did you have a nice call ?” William asked with a big smile.

“Yeah. How are the twins, Casanova ?” Gormlaith came in lightly. Tom was confused and didn't know what they were talking about.

“Ah, this brings me back to those days where I'll just talk for hours with my girlfriend. High School, Middle School,” William sighed wistfully.

Gormlaith rolled her eyes, “Luckily, you’re married to my sister now,”

Tom and William looked at each other before they burst out in laughter. This reminded Tom of all the times the three of them teased each other mercilessly during their childhood. Tom and William had known each other since they were still in diapers and Gormlaith, Tom’s cousin from his mother’s side visited him quite often at Riddle Manor. The three of them attended the same school and they were become even closer since William married Gormlaith’s younger sister, Rionach.

.

Feeding the twins breakfast was a tall order. They didn't like the texture of the porridge and Harry often had to deal with spit ups. Dressed accordingly, Harry was on his way to make the twins' breakfast when he noticed an unfamiliar woman sitting at the dining room table. Startled, he paused and studied the woman warily.

She looked familiar but Harry could not figure out where he had seen her before. She was tall, even taller than Harry, and very attractive. Like model attractive. Suddenly, she turned her piercing light blue eyes on him. Harry subconsciously took a step back. This woman was really cold. Like freezing. Harry didn't know how he hadn't formed icicles yet. He wouldn't be surprised if she admitted to be a robot. Trying his hardest to ignore the intensity of her gaze, Harry skirted her and went to the kitchen.

Harry had finally remembered where he had seen him. The photographs on Mr. Riddle’s desk. She had been in a number of them but she had looked more approachable than this cyborg before him. Harry was being mean now. If she was a cyborg, then Mr. Riddle was not in any way real as well. And that would be a waste.

“I want three eggs, sunny side, two wholemeal toast and coffee. Black. No sugar.” She suddenly said. It was so unexpected that Harry almost dropped the twins' breakfast. Seriously ? The first time they conversed and that was what she said ? Rude. But she was his employer's friend. Harry should just entertain her.

After making her breakfast, Harry went to fetch the twins. They were getting up late that day. As much as he liked the extra few minutes of peace, he knew it would affect their day adversely. Just as he was going to enter their nursery, he heard a groan from Mr. Riddle’s bedroom.

Curious, and slightly alarmed, Harry went to the doorway and was instantly hit with the smell of alcohol. _Oh God, how much did he drink ?_ Harry thought, waving his hand before him to at least disperse the smell. Hoping to dispel the scent from the room, Harry went to draw the curtains apart and open the window.

“No. Don't,” Mr. Riddle barked weakly from his bed. Ignoring him, Harry went to all the windows and opened it. “Harry. I'm a vampire. I don't like sunlight.” Standing beside Mr. Riddle’s bed, Harry crossed his arm and shook his head.

“Did you pour the drinks all over yourself ? You smell like the inside of a vodka bottle,” Harry scolded softly. Knowing how much Mr. Riddle’s head was pounding, Harry tried to be considerate but the smell was just plain awful. “I'm going to wake the twins. When you're ready to relinquish your vampire status, do join us.”

“No. Don't leave,” Mr. Riddle whined. Thinking the older man was just being ornery, Harry turned to leave when Mr. Riddle’s hands suddenly grabbed Harry’s hips and pulled him over his body. Mr. Riddle rolled over until he was above Harry. His head up, he sent Harry a grin and greeted him. “ _Bonjour_.”

Mr. Riddle looked incredibly handsome even if he still smelled boozy. Hair tousled. Eyes lazy from sleep. His cheeks slightly flushed from the alcohol and sleep. Why couldn't he look all disheveled and out of sorts, like Harry did on the rare occasion when he drank ? Life was so unfair. “Mr. Riddle—”

“Tom.” He corrected sharply before burying his face against Harry’s neck. Startled, Harry tried to push him away but his arms were caught between them. “If you continue to be stubborn, I'm going to punish you every time you call me ‘Mr. Riddle’. I'll tell you of your punishment later. We'll rest for now.”

“Tom, I have to feed the twins. They're going to wake up anytime soon,” Harry told him gently. Tom shook his head childishly, still burrowed against Harry’s neck. Laughing slightly, Harry asked, “Are you still drunk, oh Mr. Vampire sir ?”

“I like the sound of that. Come forth and pleasure me, servant boy,” Tom said in a mock commanding tone. Harry’s face flushed when he realized what the older man meant. Trying to escape again, all Harry accomplished was getting Tom’s attention back on him. Seeing Harry’s red face, Tom’s face took a decidedly lecherous bend. “Shy, are we ? Well, there's only one way to remedy that.”

Unable to grasp Tom’s meaning, Harry was caught off guard when Tom placed his lips on Harry’s. Not knowing how to respond, or whether he should, Harry just laid there until Tom grew more insistent. Trying to fight Tom’s repeated attempts to deepen the kisses, Harry felt himself melting into his kisses, giving in to his persistence. Tom let out a rumble of triumph as he managed to slip pass Harry’s lips and invaded the petite man’s mouth.

Harry felt like he was drowning under Tom’s expertise and the pleasure they evoked. All Harry could focus on was Tom’s lips, his hands which were roaming about Harry’s body, managing to get under Harry’s pants and inching towards his ass.

A jarring sound penetrated the haze. Harry knew it was important, that noise. But Tom was muddling Harry’s mind again. A second noise joined the first. _Oh, Caelum and Delphini are angry_ , Harry thought absently. Then, like a thunderbolt striking him, Harry pushed the taller man away and got off the bed before Tom even knew what was going on.

“We are not finished, Harry.” Tom called breathlessly but Harry just shook his head, facing determinedly forward. His face was redder than a tomato. Hadn't he decided to distant himself ? This was definitely a setback. But, with the way Tom was acting, surely the man saw something more between them ?

 _No, Harry. Deluding yourself is not allowed here_ , he scolded himself, even as his fingers came up to trace his lips, wanting to retain any lasting impression of the kiss. Harry didn't know what to feel or how to interpret what just happened. He just hoped things wouldn't be awkward when they saw each other again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. in canon, both Gormlaith Gaunt and Rionach Sayre née Gaunt, just like Tom, are descendants of Salazar Slytherin (source : harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/House_of_Gaunt) and in this story they are Morfin’s daughters.  
> 2\. fyi, Gormlaith’s personality in this story is how exactly I am in real life lol


	10. Chapter 10

Tom couldn't keep the smile off his face. All through his shower and getting dressed, the smile was ever present on his face. He didn't dare look in the mirror so as to not be confronted with the excessive happiness, and smugness. Even the way he walked was different. He felt that there was a bounce in his steps. This was getting too cheery for him. He needed to stop.

But he couldn't help it. Who knew acting drunk could get him the hottest kiss in his entire life ? Admittedly, he had still been in the fog of sleep when he had pulled Harry into his bed but he was wide awake and conscious when he had decided to go in for the kill. Or kiss. And it was glorious. It felt like a part of him, that he didn't know had been missing, had just returned to him. The heat had instantly exploded and he was caught in the undercurrents of it. So much so that he didn't recognize his children's cries.

Now that sent a shard of guilt through his heart. The first time he was into someone and all thoughts of them flew out of his mind. He felt like such a failure of fatherhood, he didn't know how he could ever face them.

.

Pressing a kiss on Caelum’s and Delphini’s forehead with a murmur of apology when he entered the dining alcove, he greeted Gormlaith and settled down for breakfast. His eyes followed Harry. His shirt was now riddled with blotches of porridge and the younger man was currently trying to wheedle another bite down Caelum, who preferred to play with his toy.

“What are you waiting for ? Get Tom his breakfast.” Gormlaith suddenly said coldly to Harry. Harry jumped slightly as he had been immersed with the twin. Or maybe he had been studiously trying to ignore Tom’s cousin. Harry sent her an uncertain look but went to grab Tom’s daily dose of caffeine. Tom, on the other hand, was taken aback. Not wanting to create waves, because Gormlaith will only be there for a few more hours, he let it slide but felt  the beginnings of rage in his chest.

“Is that all, boy ?” Gormlaith barked when Harry timidly placed a cup of coffee before Tom. Harry’s face was stricken and his eyes were filled with discomfort and a tinge of fear. It was that fear that made Tom forget about letting it slide. He would not have Harry fearing anything when with him. Especially not when he could help it.

“Stop it, Gormlaith. Just because you're my cousin doesn't give you the right to order my employees around !” Tom growled, placing his hand over the one Harry had over the cup handle. Harry’s eyes darted from his to Gormlaith’s.

Harry looked like a prey trapped between two predators. He only relaxed slightly when Tom sent him a warm smile, going so much as to blush when the smile grew more heated. Tom hadn't known it was so fun to tease his lover. Or potential lover. He should do that more often. Letting him go, Tom turned back to Gormlaith, his eyes growing decidedly colder.

Sensing that the argument was only going to become more involved, Harry decided to take the twins away. “It's time for bath,” Harry said, his voice full of false cheer. They stopped what they were doing and squealed in excitement. Caelum absolutely loved bath time. Delphi, on the other hand, was indifferent. She only squealed because her brother was doing so. This time, the smile on her face was genuine and beautiful. So beautifully breathtaking that Tom almost forgot about Gormlaith. So much so that he was unprepared when Harry dropped Caelum in his arms, “Give your Daddy a kiss and off you go.” Harry let the twins loose on the floor after they'd given him wet, sticky kisses. Tom almost asked the petite man for a kiss but he left like a bat on fire. Once Harry managed to herd them to their bathroom, and his beautiful behind was out of sight, Tom turned back to his cousin, continuing their stare-off.

“I didn't know you were becoming soft,” Gormlaith said softly. Tom sent her a perplexed look. “Defending your employee ? Why, if your parents saw this, they had had your hide. I'm surprised. I believed you were the consummate businessman. Clearly having children has changed things.”

“Well, considering my parents are not here and that I have never cared about their twisted opinions, I can truly say I will sleep easy tonight. And every other night. What I can't understand is why you think defending my employee is making me soft. I hired Harry for a specific reason and what you saw just now was it. If I wanted a maid, I'd have gotten a maid. His main focus is on my kids and only my kids. And my main focus right now is providing the best for my children. If that makes me soft, I'll welcome that. As long as my children are happy and safe and secure,” he finished savagely.

He couldn't help the anger that burst forth when his cousin, one of his closest friend, brought his parents into their conversation. Gormlaith knew that their relationship was strained at best, tenuous at worse. Their values and principles, in both work and personal lives, greatly differed from his. Something he had to thank his grandmother for. And, lately, his children and Harry.

“What’s wrong with you Gee, I mean, I know you’re coldhearted in nature but you’re not _that_ cold. What happened to your morals ?” Tom remembered a snippet from last night and it worried him. “Do you know why I left so early last night ? I saw how you were acting, all bursting with your self-importance. I saw how you arrowed on to this one girl who was sitting alone. You invited her to dance and I knew she refused but you pulled her to the dance floor anyway. When she tried to leave, you forced her closer. I had to wonder if you'd have forced more of yourself on her if I hadn't decided to leave.”

“Oh, I'm sorry you think so low of me,” Gormlaith said stiffly, “I think I should leave. I know not to stay where I'm not wanted.”

“What are you talking about ? I want you here. I just want to know what’s wrong with you.” Tom replied but it was unheeded. Gormlaith left without another word, breakfast forgotten. Tom sighed and massaged his temples, _Why on earth women are so damn complicated ?_.

.

Harry sat back and watched as his charges played around his room. The twins had learnt to use anything and everything around them to help them stand. It was cute but he'd learned to keep away any fragile and expensive items off those furnitures after the first few breakages. Luckily, Mr. Riddle was understanding and didn't deduct those items from his paycheck. Or he'd have to work for free for many, many months. Years even. When he'd found out how much one of it cost, his heart had literally stopped.

On this day, it seemed like Caelum was becoming stronger and more stable. He tried to stand on his own and succeeded for a few seconds before gravity and his legs worked against him. Even so, it was a huge accomplishment for him. Taking him into his arms, Harry peppered Caelum’s face with kisses and he shrieked with laughter even as he tried to escape. Not wanting to be outdone, Delphi demanded to be cuddled and kissed.

It became a game after that. The twins would crawl around, trying to escape him, while he was on the prowl for cheeks to kiss. Once they were caught, he swung them around the room and kissed their entire face before letting them go again. They loved the game, scrambling away whenever they saw him, giggling when he looked visibly disappointed.

Focused on catching them, he was horribly surprised when male arms suddenly wrapped around his body, pulling him back to a hard body. Catching the scent of the cologne, Harry relaxed into Mr. Riddle’s chest. The twins were still crawling around, keeping an eye on him.

“How did it go ?” Harry asked, not even trying to get out of his hold.

“Bad,” Mr. Riddle rested his chin on Harry’s shoulder and sighed, “I don’t know if she’s on her period or anything, but clearly there’s something wrong with her. Damn, why do women have to be difficult ?” Tom grumbled at the last sentence and continued, “She’s still the coldhearted woman I know but she’s changed a bit. The person I grew up with wouldn't say anything good about my parents. She hates them as much as I hate hers. Well, she hates mine because of their lack of attention towards their children and I hate hers because they almost disowned her for being lesbian.” Harry’s curiosity peeked its head up. This was the first time he'd heard anything about Mr. Riddle’s parents. Harry knew from some of what Mrs. Weasley said that Tom was not close with his parents. Even so, he knew it was not the time.

“Did you talk with him about it ?” Harry asked as he kept the twins within sight. They'd lost interest in the game and returned to exploring his room. “Surely if she explained—”

“She left without another word. Admittedly, I may have been a bit too harsh—”

“A bit ?” Harry teased.

“Yes, a bit, you minx. Now stop interrupting me,” Tom scolded, his fingers dancing along Harry’s ribcage. Being the extremely ticklish person that he was, Harry jumped and yelped, almost banging his head on Tom’s nose. Luckily, Tom jumped back with a laugh. After he had calmed and Harry deigned to be back in his arms, Tom continued. “Now, as I was saying, I was a bit harsh but I felt that it needed to be said. I thought we could talk it out but she just left soon after.”

“I'm sure you'll have other opportunities to clear the air. Find a way to be comfortable with her again,” Harry suggested softly. Looking to Tom, Harry’s eyes were caught in taller man’s eyes. Unable to look away, Harry didn't move away when Tom moved closer and even closed his eyes when Tom’s lips met his. This kiss was softer, more for comfort and support. Unfortunately, before the kiss could become deeper and heated, Tom’s handphone rang. With a harsh sigh, he pulled away and picked it up.

Using the distraction, Harry turned to the twins and immediately tried to push Tom out of his room, his face turning bright red. Busy, Tom moved a few steps before stopping, realizing what the younger man was doing. Looking puzzled, Tom’s eyes questioned him but Harry refused to answer him. Harry didn't stop trying to push him out but seeing as Tom worked out and Harry didn't, it was an epic failure. With eyes filled with mischief once Tom found out the reason, he started to tease the petite man but the warning in those emerald eyes made him reconsider. Finished with his call, he bade the twins a goodbye, kissing their cheeks, giving Harry’s lips a peck, said, “I like the red one. Bet it’d make your ass look even more delectable.” and pinched Harry’s butt then left before the smaller man could retort.

Cheeks burning, lips tingling, Harry turned to the twins and sighed exasperatedly, even as amusement bloomed. Why did he just have to put his undergarments in the second last drawer ?


	11. Chapter 11

The week leading to the party was fairly uneventful. The twins were fairly well-behaved with some small fights that every siblings had. From what Tom had seen, it was mainly over toys. Harry had mentioned that sometimes they fought for his attention but Tom had yet to witness that. Surprisingly, most often than not, Delphi instigated it. And Caelum would sometimes give in, which was quite surprising because men in his family never gave in. Of course, there were those times when giving in was not an option. And those were when he had no clue on how to handle them.

Harry had to step in then. Most of the time, the younger man would send Tom a squinty-eyed look, to which Tom would return with his most bewildered face. Tom would see amusement lurking in those emerald eyes but Harry keep his tough facade up. Harry would then shake his head and split the twins up. Be it by pulling one from the other or calling their name sharply. And that's another reason why Tom often called for him when they fought. They listened to Harry. With Tom, his calls for peace fell on deaf ears. And he knew they weren't hearing-impaired. They came at the call of food often enough to disprove that. He'd usually give Harry with a deep, hard kiss as thanks and escaped to his study. Harry had yet to protest but that was most probably because Tom did not give him enough time to.

Tom was currently in his office, trying to identify what was making him feel as if something was not right. The feeling had been nagging at him for the past few days and he wanted to make it go away. It felt very much like he was distrustful of Harry. Looking back, everything was the same.

The four of them ate dinner together, as usual. Much to Mrs. Weasley’s delight. It was an admittedly messy affair. With food flying about, courtesy of the twins, but Harry always managed to relate their day to him while he ate. Then Tom would play with the twins as Harry managed to grab a bite. After dinner, Tom would go to his office to finish up some work while Harry prepared the twins for bed. Once the twins were out for the night, Harry would remind him to get to bed early and left before he could tempt Harry to go to bed with him. So their nightly routine was still happening but...

Harry had been acting different. Now, every night, after putting the twins down, he'd enclosed himself in his room. He didn't even come by Tom’s office. Maybe Tom was coming on too strong, he wondered. But that does not explain why Harry always had his phone close to him. Before this week, Harry’d leave his personal phone in his room. Now, suddenly, he's carrying it around, along with the phone Tom provided, everywhere.

 _Maybe it was his family ?_ Tom speculated. Admittedly, Tom knew close to nothing regarding that subject. Which was a major oversight, especially since he intended to have a serious relationship with the younger man. Even so... _No_ , he decided, shaking his head. That wouldn't put that sweet, bashful smile on Harry’s face. Tom’s mind lingered on the smile. It was vaguely familiar. He had never seen it on Harry before so it couldn't be from Harry’s family. But it was so familiar. As if he'd seen it on someone else before.

Where had he seen it before ? Definitely on another person. But surely _not_ every single person. He definitely had not seen it on his housekeeper nor his employees. He'd recently seen it on a young woman he took the elevator with. The woman he had sent a friendly smile to. It could have been misconstrued as flirting but—

Wait. _Flirting_ ? When Tom put this in context to Harry, he sprang up in fury. Someone was flirting with **his** Harry ? His mind didn't even shy away from his possessive pronouncement. Tom had resigned himself to the fact that Harry was his, enthusiastically even, and nothing was going to take him away from Tom. Not if he could help it.

He wanted to ask Harry about it but he couldn't just do that. He needed proof. He had to take a look at Harry’s phone to confirm his suspicions. Hopefully the younger man wouldn't be too offended by what he was going to do. Knowing Harry’s nightly routine, Tom waited until 11, the time Harry would check on the twins, to sneak into his room.

Never had it occurred to him to just let it go. Or go through the conventional route and, maybe, ask him. That would reveal too much. Not that Tom’s numerous displays of affection or cuddling meant anything. _You did that to all the men and women you kissed though_ , a voice in the back of his head said sarcastically.

Tom ignored the annoying voice and looked for Harry’s phone. Which was conveniently located on Harry’s bed. Harry’s deliciously rumpled bed. Briefly distracted by how he and Harry could make it even messier, Tom was brought back to the task at hand when Harry’s phone made the sound when it received a message.

Making his way to the bed, Tom recalled how the twins had ransacked Harry’s underwear drawer the last time Tom was there. Tom was sure Harry didn't want him to see that but it made Tom realize he should take him shopping. _Underwear shopping_. Tom felt blood surging south as his mind wondered down a path that was both tantalizing and torturous. Luckily, another message came through and brought him back.

His eyes narrowed when he saw who it was from. Rudolphus. Wasn't he that guy that was hitting on Harry last week? Hadn't he prevented any further contact with that man ? So how was he messaging Harry ? This Rudolphus guy must have given him his numb—

All rational thought flew out of Tom’s head as he opened the message. Hah, Harry didn't even lock his phone. What if some unsavory character try to steal it for information? Tom ignored his conscience that tried to point out he was such a character. He justified it by telling himself he was concerned for Harry’s safety. That tasted foul even to him.

Shaking away the obvious lies, he read the messages and felt his rage worsen. They'd been messaging each other every day since the day they met. Even though Harry’s replies were innocuous, Rudolphus’ were definitely on the flirty side. How could Harry not see the man was flirting with him ?

“Tom ?”

Tom turned to the door, looking at how beautiful Harry was, illuminated by the hallway light. All Tom could think of was making the petite man irrevocably his.


End file.
